A YOUTH folk band from Teesdale has launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise cash to attend two festivals later this summer.
Cream Tees was formed about eight years through Music at the Heart of Teesdale (M@HoT) and attending the Saltburn and Whitby folk festivals next month will double as a farewell to some of its older members.
M@HoT organiser Rupert Philbrick said the impact of the Covid pandemic and the current cost of living crisis was making it hard for the youth music project to make ends meet.
He added: “Not only are grants and public funding more competitive than ever, but some of our participants now face financial barriers in participating in our activities.”
Mr Philbrick said cash raised would go towards helping to pay for the trips including hiring a minibus as well as securing bursary places for the young musicians.
He said: “Any additional funds raised will go towards buying a replacement marquee after our previous one was decimated by the winds rolling off the North York moors at Whitby in 2019.”
The marquee was used by the band for cooking, eating and relaxing.
He added that the band hoped to play a collection of newly discovered material during the festivals this year.
He said: “Cream Tees will take a set of new tunes and arrangements that draw from the recently discovered Collingwood Collection, a family tune book containing over 180 pieces of musical manuscript, with unique tunes and variations on regional folk standards.
“These tunes have been developed with guidance and support from guest tutors Janice Burns and Alasdair Paul with funding from Teesdale Area Action Partnership,” he added.
The Saltburn Folk Festival runs from August 12 to August 14, while the Whitby festival takes place from August 22 through to August 27.
People can support the crowd-funding plea by visiting gofundme.com/f/cream-tees-summer-festival-trips.
